Teaching ‘Before, After, Left and Right’

This week we have been learning how to follow directions that use the terms before, after, left and right.  You’d be surprised how many kids still struggle with these basic concepts. Try asking your child to do the following:

Before you touch your nose, pat your head.

If she touches her nose and then pats her head, she is merely doing things in the order you named them, and has not understood the concept of ‘before’.  However, she may not have trouble with the following command because you say it in the order it’s to be done:

After you pat your head, touch your nose.

But if you say it with the order reversed, she may have more trouble:

Touch your nose after you pat your head.

Why is it important for kids to learn these terms?  Because they will be used all the time in the classroom, and in the real world!  For example, the teacher might say:

“Class, get out a piece of paper and number from 1-10 on the left side of the paper.”  Or, “Before you line up for recess, finish your math worksheet and put it in the basket on the desk.”

These are simple commands, and many kids who struggle with these words will simply look at their classmates and follow their example.  However; if they are on their own, they struggle.

TEACHING ‘BEFORE’ and ‘AFTER’


 The best way to teach ‘before’ and ‘after’ is to practice.  Start out with simple worksheets such as the free ones HERE.  It may also be helpful to show pictures that illustrate the concept:  an egg before and after it has been cooked, a shoe before and after it has been tied, etc.  Then practice giving them commands such as the ones above, and see if they can follow ‘before’ and ‘after’ directions even when the order it is to be done is reversed in the sentence.

 TEACHING ‘LEFT’ and ‘RIGHT’
‘Left’ and ‘right’ may be a little easier to teach, because a memory device is built into their hands!  Have the child hold up their hands in front of them with the thumbs horizontal, pointing towards the middle.   Ask them which hand forms the letter ‘L’.   It will be the one on the left, and ‘left’ begins with ‘L’, so that is easy to remember.  If they are right-handed, you can also tell them that the hand they ‘write’ with is the ‘right’ hand. (Both words sound the same).